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Maria Maldonado, age 50, of Hartford, pleaded guilty to drug charges last year, the US Attorney for Connecticut said. She is out on a $75,000 bond and must report to prison on March 1.
Trouble for Maldonado began in 2021 when the DEA raided her and her husband's home and found 13,000 wax folds of fentanyl, more than 300 loose grams of the synthetic opioid, a kilogram of cocaine, crack, and marijuana, the prosecutor said.
They also found drug-selling paraphernalia, a .40-caliber pistol with a 30-round magazine, and a 50-round drum magazine. They arrested her husband, and he's remained in federal custody since the raid awaiting trial.
From prison, he continued to deal drugs using Moldonado and her son, Carlos Santiago Jr., and a drug supplier, Henry DeJesus-Morales, as go-betweens, federal prosecutors said.
Six months after agents raided the family's home, agents again stormed the building and found 71 grams of loose fentanyl, 1,800 wax folds of the synthetic opioid, a large amount of marijuana, a loaded pistol, a loaded shotgun, and about $13,000 in cash, officials said.
DeJesus-Morales and Santiago pleaded guilty to related drug charges and were sentenced to 44 months and six months in prison, respectively, authorities said.
Maldonado's husband is still awaiting trial.
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